As part of our ongoing effort to provide comprehensive medical care, the Center for Surgery & Breast Health provides cancer risk assessment and education. This includes hereditary risk assessment and genetic testing for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, as well as hereditary colorectal and endometrial cancer.

Most cancers happen by chance and are not passed down from generation to generation. However, in a small number of families, cancers may be due to specific genetic factors that can be passed down from one generation to another. Identifying these genetic families can be beneficial in terms of accurately assessing the risk of cancer for an individual and his/her relatives, and providing appropriate medical options to prevent cancer or reduce cancer risk as much as possible.

A cancer genetics evaluation may be appropriate if you have a personal or family history (on either your mother’s or father’s side) of cancer, including:

• A personal or family history of breast cancer diagnosed before age 50.
• A personal or family history of ovarian cancer at any age.
• A personal or family history of colorectal cancer or endometrial cancer diagnosed before age 50.
• A personal or family history of multiple related cancers in the same person (such as two colorectal cancers or both colorectal and endometrial cancer).

If any of these describe your personal or family history, you may be an appropriate candidate for an in-depth cancer risk assessment and educational consultation in our office. The consultation takes approximately one hour to complete and involves:
 

• Completing a more comprehensive family history to assess which risk factors in the family history may increase the risk of a hereditary cancer;
• Discussing the role of genetics in cancer;
• Evaluating whether an individual or multiple family members may be at an increased risk for developing cancer.

If applicable, the availability of genetic testing for hereditary cancer will be presented during the consultation, along with information about medical options to help identify cancers at an early and treatable stage, as well as options to reduce the risk of developing cancer. The information provided during this consultation may have implications for the entire family, including cancer-free individuals, as well as those who have already been diagnosed with cancer.

Please contact us at (815) 744-0330 to make an appointment for a cancer risk assessment.